French and German oilseed farmers urge for turnaround in plant protection policy

September 2016, 13th – At the invitation of Fédération française des producteurs d'oléagineux et de protéagineux (FOP), representatives of FOP under the leadership of its Vice chairman, Arnaud Rousseau and representatives of the Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP) under the leadership of chairman Wolfgang Vogel spoke on September 7th in Paris about the harvest situation and sectorial issues. FOP and UFOP are the major branch organizations for oilseeds and protein crop in France and Germany.

Concerning the outstanding question of the future of the European biofuel policy, both organizations emphasize the great importance of cooperation in the European Oilseeds Alliance (EOA).

Facing uncertainties resulting from the Brexit-vote and poor answers on society’s questions on EU’s objectives and motivations, FOP and UFOP strongly commit themselves to promote a common approach on Common agricultural policy (CAP) and their sectorial issues in a discussion with Xavier Beulin, President of the French farmer organization FNSEA. Basis therefore is a high level of understanding of each other’s situation. Both organizations are claiming for a common agricultural policy financed at the right level of ambitions, which are high.

As a result of a year with big difficulties for farmers hit by the bad weather conditions resulting in bad yields and sometime poor quality FOP and UFOP addressed the question of availability of plant protection products as an important production facility for farming. They are concerned that an increasing limitation of active substances will lead to more pest resistances.

They particularly reaffirm the need of coherence in the political decisions. Legislators could not at the same time ask for greening with more diversity in crop on the farms, promote the interest of legumes as homegrown protein source and prevent farmers to protect and nourish their plants. On the simplification of greening, the new proposals promoted by the European Commission may have the opposite effects of those looking for. Therefore FOP and UFOP strongly ask for changes in mind in these issues.

For further questions:

FOP:
11 rue de Monceau, 75008 Paris – www.fopoleopro.com – Claude Soudé: + 33 61803 5818

UFOP:
Claire-Waldoff-Str. 7, 10117 Berlin – www.ufop.de – Stephan Arens: + 49 30 31904 225